At present, pallet trucks having forks generally also have load wheel systems that include load wheel assemblies having one or more wheels and being provided in a single location below the forward ends of the forks. The load wheel assemblies are used to raise and lower the forks and to support the forks while rolling over a ground surface, floor, platform or the like (collectively hereinafter referred to as a “ground surface”). The lifting of the forks generally is accomplished with a load wheel assembly that is activated by pushing or pulling of arms below the forks. The pushing or pulling of the arms generally is driven by linkage that is activated by movement in relation to the lifting position of a lift cylinder that causes lifting of a pallet truck load lift portion relative to a base support portion. Turning of a typical pallet truck is initiated at the rear when a rear wheel that is directionally adjustable (a steering wheel) is turned in a direction to the left or right.
When using a rear directionally adjustable wheel to determine the direction of a turn, a load wheel assembly below a forward end of one of the forks generally serves as a pivot about which the rear of the pallet truck turns. As such, the minimum turning radius for a typical pallet truck may be defined by the distance between the rear wheel and the forward load wheel assembly about which the pallet truck pivots when turning. Thus, the rear of the pallet truck would sweep through a circle having a diameter that is at least twice the distance between the rear wheel and the location where the forward load wheel assembly engages the ground surface. This causes the diameter of the circle to be nearly twice the length of the entire pallet truck. Such an arrangement greatly inhibits the efficiency of a pallet truck, because a relatively large turning radius impairs maneuverability and tends to limit the areas through which the pallet truck may travel, turn around and otherwise maneuver. In addition, having a longer fork length configuration generally disadvantageously influences the turning radius of a pallet truck because the load wheel assemblies below the forward ends of the forks tend to be positioned a greater distance from the rear directionally adjustable wheel, resulting in a larger turning radius and compounding the inconvenience of operating the pallet truck.